How to Set Up and Use the Xbox Adaptive Joystick (XAJ) | Video

Intro

The Xbox Adaptive Joystick is a wired device from Microsoft which can be used for gaming on Xbox Series consoles and Xbox One consoles or Windows 11 PC.

It is designed to be either held in the hand or mounted. It includes one joystick and seven digital buttons. Four buttons are on top, just below the joystick, two are on the back, and one is activated by pushing ‘in’ on the joystick.

It can be used as a controller by itself, but it has primarily been designed to be used alongside the Xbox Adaptive Controller or a standard Xbox controller.

A standard controller has twice as many buttons and joysticks, which some games will make full use of. Therefore, many games will require additional controls to those on just one Adaptive Joystick.

In this video we will be looking at how to set up and use the Xbox Adaptive Joystick by itself, how to use it alongside a standard Xbox controller, and how to use it alongside an Xbox Adaptive Controller. We will also look at some of the ways it can be mounted to access it with different parts of the body.

We will refer to the Xbox Adaptive Joystick as the ‘Adaptive Joystick’ and the Xbox Adaptive Controller as the ‘Adaptive Controller’ for the remainder of this video.

Default Controls & Remapping

The buttons are fully remappable with the Xbox Accessories App and the joystick on the device can be mapped to act as either Left or Right Stick. Each button is marked x1 to x6, but each button is mapped to a button or trigger input you would find on an Xbox controller.

The default button mapping for the Xbox Adaptive Joystick varies depending on how you plug it in.

If you plug it in directly into the Xbox or PC, then by default the top buttons are mapped to A, B, X and Y, the joystick is Left Stick (and Left Stick Click) and the rear buttons are LB and LT.

Using it via the Adaptive Controller, plugging it into the USB slot on the left side gives you controls you would find on the left side of a standard Xbox controller and the USB slot on the right side gives you the controls on the right side of a standard Xbox controller.

So, if you plug it in via the left USB on an Adaptive Controller then by default, the joystick is Left Stick with a Left Stick Click when you push it down, the top buttons are the four D-pad directions, and the rear buttons are LB and LT.

If you plug it in via the right USB on an Xbox Adaptive controller then by default the joystick is Right Stick with a Right Stick Click when you push it down, the top buttons are A, B, X, Y and the rear buttons are RB and RT.

If you want to remap your Adaptive Joystick, then the process is the same depending on whether you are using it with or without an Adaptive Controller.

To remap the controller, you need to navigate to the Xbox Accessories App which you will find in ‘My Games and Apps’.

Select ‘Configure’ under the controller you want to remap.

You can then create a new profile or configure an existing one.

Select the ‘Edit’ icon, which has a pencil symbol.

If you are using the Adaptive Joystick on its own, you will see a picture of the joystick. You can then select which button you want to remap. In this example, I am remapping the x6 button, which is LT by default, to RT.

If you are using the Adaptive Joystick through an Adaptive Controller, then you need to select ‘Configure’ under the picture of the adaptive controller.

Depending on whether you have the Adaptive Joystick plugged into the left or right USB on the Adaptive Controller, you will see the Adaptive Joystick remapping option on the left or the right side of the screen.

In this example, I have the Adaptive Joystick plugged into the left USB, so the options are on the left side of the screen.

You might need to use the large A and B buttons on the Adaptive Controller or connect a standard Xbox controller using Controller Assist to help you remap as you will need access to the A and B buttons.

Once you have done your remapping, make sure that you assign the profile to a slot. The Adaptive Joystick will allow you to save one profile to it. If you use an Adaptive Controller, you can save up to three profiles on the device.

If you are using an Adaptive Controller, you will then need to make sure you have the correct slot selected on the device by pressing the mode button on the Adaptive Controller.

Xbox Controller Assist

Xbox Controller Assist is a setting available on Xbox and PC, through the Xbox Accessories App which allows you to use two controllers at the same time. This means that you can connect your Adaptive Joystick and use it alongside a compatible controller or an Adaptive Controller.

Equally, if you were to plug your Adaptive Joystick into the Adaptive Controller, you could use this set-up alongside a paired, compatible, standard Xbox controller.

To turn on Controller Assist, navigate to the ‘Xbox Accessories App’ which you will find in ‘My Games and Apps’.

If you are using an Adaptive Joystick on its own, alongside a standard Xbox controller or the Adaptive Controller, then plug the Adaptive Joystick into the console and then turn on the other controller that you are using by pressing the Xbox button.

Alternatively, if you are using an Adaptive Joystick plugged into the Adaptive Controller, then turn on your Adaptive Controller by pressing the Xbox button.

Your two controllers should appear on-screen.

To turn on Controller Assist, go to one of the controllers you will be using, then navigate down to the three dots icon below and select it.

Make sure both of your controllers are assigned to the same user profile.

Scroll down and select ‘Turn on Controller assist’.

Mounting

The Adaptive Joystick comes with a one-quarter twenty thread, allowing you to mount it to suit your needs. This is a standard size used by many tripod camera mounts. At SpecialEffect, we use a Manfrotto Variable Friction Arm with a suitable spigot to mount the Adaptive Joystick in place.

For mounting on a flat surface, you can use some mini camera tripods or mounts. When choosing one, you need to make sure there is enough space for the cable to plug into the bottom of the Adaptive Joystick.

At SpecialEffect, if we are trying to firmly mount the Adaptive Joystick as low to the table or tray as possible to use the joysticks on it, we use a couple of options. We either use this NICEYRIG Quick Release Plate, if we have the space available and a hard surface. Or, if we have less space to mount it or want to use it on a tray, we may use one of these SMALLRIG Cheese Plates attached with Velcro. We will use heavy duty Velcro for this as it is quite a small surface area to mount and there can be quite a bit of leverage when using the joystick.

If you are looking to hold the Adaptive Joystick and access the back buttons, but want some additional support holding it, you could use a mini tripod mount that has more room underneath to grip it. Here we have the DJI Osmo Mini Tripod and DJI Pocket 2 Micro.

Example Uses

At SpecialEffect, we use the Adaptive Joystick in different ways depending on what is needed in someone’s set-up. It will always end up customised to the individual’s specific needs, but the following examples may help as starting points for using the Adaptive Joystick.

The Adaptive Joystick could be an option for single-handed play. If the games you want to play only require one joystick and up to seven buttons, you may be able to use the controller by itself. By default, it does not include some of the buttons needed for navigating an Xbox or games, like the Xbox button and the Menu button. Therefore, you may need to map these inputs to some of the buttons on the device.

For games that need to have an input pressed at the same time as moving the joystick, you may need to remap these inputs to those on the back of the controller to be able to use them at the same time with the same hand. In a driving game, for instance, you may need to map accelerate to one of these, so you can use this at the same time as steering. The same may be needed for braking, too.

A game may include options that can reduce the number of inputs required to play. For instance, EA Sports FC has options to reduce the number of controls, such as Two-Button Mode. To aim with the joystick and simultaneously pass or shoot using a button input, you may need to map these to the back buttons.

Alternatively, you can also add and split up inputs by pairing it with an Adaptive Controller, or a standard Xbox controller. This could be to access additional inputs with another part of the body, or to share controls and play cooperatively with another player.

Some players also connect two Adaptive Joysticks using Controller Assist and use one in each hand. This could be an option for people who find it difficult to bring their hands close together on a standard controller and want to be able to play with their hands further apart.

You could also potentially use one in your hand and have a second mounted by your chin for games that require two joysticks.

You could use the Adaptive Controller alongside the Adaptive Joystick to add extra inputs. For example, you could plug some accessibility switches into the Adaptive Controller and use these alongside an Adaptive Joystick to increase the number of buttons.

You could also use the Xbox Adaptive joystick simply as a joystick option in a set-up, without using the other button inputs on it. You could think about mounting this by your hand or another part of your body, such as by your chin or foot.

A range of designs for joystick toppers are available to download and 3D print. Customisation of the width and height of the toppers is possible using the Xbox Design Lab.

You could then use other devices plugged into the Adaptive Controller, alongside this or alongside a standard Xbox controller to create a customised set-up for your needs and the games you want to play.

Thank you for watching this video. For information on other alternative controllers and joysticks, please use the ‘Equipment’ category on GameAccess.info. More information on the Xbox Adaptive Controller and compatible peripherals can be found using the ‘XAC’ tag.